Henry
Earnest lived nine miles north of Ft. Bedford. Killed by Indians about the
autumn of 1777.
His wife Eve Earnest captured at same time.
Children:
1.
George. 4. Johannas.
2.
Mary. 5. Henry.
3. Jacob. 6. Mike.
George Earnest.
Just when I had commenced on this line, and had almost given up hope of getting dates from the old German Bible which Mrs. Sill and Mrs. Phillips spoke of so often, and which was in possession of Mrs. Reip near St. Clairsville, a grand-daughter of George, Mr. W. E. Nevitt of Tyrone, who has helped so much to get data, went to see the Reip folks and got the record. He found it in such old German script that he could not make much of it out. After much effort he got Rev. Zinn, who was visiting there, to translate a part of it. He tried to get it photographed but could not. Then he found that they would let him bring the record along as the leaves were loose. It was a treat to us to get it.
Mr. Nevitt was very much interested in the Bible. It is well bound with brass clasps-Martin Luther's translation of the Laitn to the German, according to the Augsburg Confession, A. D. 1530, making it 380 years old, and the records back to 1717 - almost 200 years.
46
The old book is more a Samuel Bible than an Earnest Bible, as will be seen, but it has the Earnest record.
The Samuel record
Conrad Samuel was born in the year 1717, April 20,
(Written in German.)
Elizabeth Samuel was born April the 5th 1764.
Mary Samuel was born September the 22nd 1769.
(Written in English by a good scribe, and with ink
not faded a bit in these 140 years.)
Elizabeth Samuel married George Earnest.
Mrs. Phillips says Mary Samuel married a Reighard.
A page or more might be filled with bits from old hymns in this record, but I could not get any one to take time to translate them as they are not written well like most of the record.
There is one whole page in the old Bible, in beautiful German script, artistic work, which Mr. Nevitt would like to have had photographed for the book but it was large and part of it too yellow with age.
Translated it reads thus:
He who has his Jesus
As
long as this world troubles
him
If
he does not leave Jesus
From the strength of his life
Let him see in Jesus here
The open gates of heaven.
Whoever has
Jesus
In all the burdens of pain
And who can lay all his
burdens
Only upon his Jesus,
Jesus will make them easy
And he will have rest.
47
Whoever turns his mind
Only towards his Jesus
And lets the wings of
faith
Carry him over all mountains
He will enter upon the path of
heaven
With his Jesus.
He who hears the lips of
Jesus
And honors His decrees
Who has taken Jesus wounds
Upon his own soul,
His heart-soul-mind will be filled
With the blood of Jesus.
A. D. 1780.
On another fly leaf: Conrad Samuel, 2L. 12s. George Adam Ernst
Anno 1801
Holy Deo Gloria, (some of this written in Old English with black ink that has burned part of the letters.) Also, in Latin: The peace of God be with us during our life.
Written by a good hand but pale ink:
Elizabeth Samuel Her Holy Bible Got of her father
Conrad Samuel in the year of our Lord God 1775.
Also: In the year 1753, came into this country, (written in German, perhaps the landing of the Samuel family.)
Record of children of George Adam and Elizabeth Samuel Ernst as it is found in the old German Bible.
1786 14 April born a
son Johannas
1788 16
May
"
daughter Molly
1790 29 December
" "
Elizabeth
1793 12
June "
"
Catharine
1794
29 " "
" Eve
Catharine
48
1797 15 March " " Elizabeth
1800 20 January " son Samuel
1802 11 August " daughter Beckie
1806 6 March " " Natrina
_____________
1. 1809 10 January born Daniel
2. 1811 11 " " Polly
3. 1812 7 February " Elizabeth
4. 1814 15 December in the morning between 2 and 3 o'clock Sally was born, and was baptized Nov. 2, 1818.
The witnesses of baptism were the parents of the child.
5. 1817 19 March in the night between 11 and 12 o'clock George was born and was baptized Nov. 2, 1818.
Parents themselves were the witnesses.
This strange old record is written by fine German scribes, especially the last group. These proper names are in Old English written by the same hand.
The group above all but the two last names are all written by another hand not quite so good. This was all no doubt written by their different ministers at the old Messiah Church. It looks as if there were two sets of children but there were not, as Geo. Earnest died in 1817 and his wife Elizabeth in 1847, and they were not grandchildren.
A strange thing about it is there were three Elizabeths and two Catharines, and Molly and Polly are considered the same.
Elizabeth was a favorite name all through the connection, and I suppose when one Elizabeth died they named another by the same name. This was common long ago.
A number of these children must have died young
49
as Mrs. Sill gave me the record of her grandfather with only six children.
I remember of a fine old German marriage certificate at our old home - Daniel Earnest, married to Dolly Shull. I think this was the Daniel.
Another strange thing about the record is that there are no dates, except one, of marriages or deaths. We find the father, George, died Mar. 28, 1817, just when his youngest son, George was 9 days old. But this does not agree with the witnesses at baptism.
"Grannie Earnest" as she was called, widow of George Earnest lived to be quite old, dying 30 years after her husband at her old home where she had always lived - just at the foot of the hill from the old house. This old German Bible she had received from her father in 1775, she had been reading all this time - 72 years. A good record. Mrs. Phillips says, "She was going across the road to the spring house one day and slipped on a board and broke her leg. She had to lie in bed two years- never walked again. Old Dr. Watson of Bedford was her physician, Sarah Reighard, her grand-daughter, took care of her and old Johannas Earnest's wife came and stayed with her often for company." This Mrs. Earnest, wife of Johannas 1st, was her sister-in-law. I shall speak farther on of another sister-in-law, Jacob Earnest's widow, called "Grannie Earnest" also.
1. Johannas Earnest, 2nd, oldest son of George and
Elizabeth Samuel Earnest. Born April 14,1786. Married Catharine Fetter, (sister of
Michael, who was father of John.)
1. Margaret Earnest, married Mr.
Whitaker. Had family. Moved west.
50
51
2. Mary Earnest, married William Carl.
1. Maria, married Daniel C. Dibert, a great grand son of "Indian Eve." See Mary Earnest Dibert line.
2. Hester,
married Abram Snavely.
1.
Alice. 2. Minnie. 3. Daniel.
3.
Jacob, married Annie Koontz.
3.
Michael Earnest, called Caifornia Mike. Spent 20 years in California, came back and lived at Wolfsburg,
Bedford Co., Pa. Dead.Married Hettie Ling (sister of Simon Ling
of Bedford.)
1. Maria, married Phillip Beegle, of PleasantValley.
2. Anna,
married Geo. Blackburn, dead.
3. Mary, married Frank Gilchrist, live in Cleveland, Ohio.
4.
Catharine, married Shunk Defibaugh
5. Alexander married Emma Koontz. Widowlives in Bedford. He was killed.
4. George Earnest, married Rebecca Ripley.
SeeCharles Dibert's line.
1. David, married Anna Cessna. Called con stable Dave.
1. Elmer. 2. Charles. 3. Ross.
4. Josie, married Joe
Barley.
5. May, married Wilson Adams.
6. Tenie, married Clay Mulon.
7. Cora.
2.
Joseph married Kate Wolford of BuffaloMills. Live in Ohio.
1. William. 4. Jacob.
2. Lizzie. 5. Jesse.
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3. Frank. All dead.
Frank and Jacob were sailors on Lake
Erie. The ship sank and they were
drowned.
3.
Mary Ann, married Adam Earnest, grand son of Johannas 1st, son of Henry. See
Johannas Earnest's
line.
Johannas
1st.
4. Jacob, died in Bedford of small pox. Buried
at Messiah cemetery.
5. Henry Earnest, married _____
Thomas,
married Susan Zimmers. See Johannas Earnest's line. Johannas 1st. Live in Altoona
.
6. Eliza Earnest, married John Lingafelter,
Attorney-at-Law Bedford. An invalid for years.
1. Mary. 2. Almira.
2. Mollie Earnest must have died
young. Born May 16, 1788.
3. Elizabeth Earnest, born Dec. 29,
1790. MarriedJacob Dibert, son of Frederick and MadalineSteel Dibert.
1. George,
married 1st Mollie Croyle.
1. Jacob, married Miss Weisel.
2. Catharine, married Fred Koontz. See Frederick
Dibert line.
3. Mary, married Samuel Mock.
Married 2nd time Margaret Imler
1. Israel, dead
2. Joseph.
3. Margaret, dead.
Married 3rd time Mary Ann Koontz.
53
1.
Chas. married Ella Long.
Mary, married Howard Dively son of Ida Dibert. See Mary Earnest's
line.
2. Lavanas, married Miss Pensyl.
3. John, married Annie Harclerode.
2. Hettie, married Jacob Fetter, son of Jac. Sr.,
called constable Jac. See Mary Earnest's
line.
3. Elizabeth, married John Wakefoose. Died recently
near Everett nearly 100 years of age.
4. Catharine, married John
Fetter brother of Con. Jac. See Mary Earnest's line.
5. Julinana, married John Ling, brother of Simon
Ling, son of Dan Ling.
After Elizabeth died, Jacob Dibert married MaryCroyle, widow of Henry Croyle, daughter of Jno.
Dibert, Sr. See Mary Earnest's line.
1. Jackson Dibert, married Mary
Ann Imler, sister of John. Dead.
4. Catharine Earnest, born June 12, 1793. MarriedChristopher Dibert, a son of Frederick andMadaline Steele Dibert.
1. Andrew W. Dibert died at
Imlertown a few years ago. Married Elizabeth Ritchey.
1. William W. Dibert, contractor and builder
at Imlertown, Pa. Married Jennie C.
Triplett.
2. Catharine, married Phillip Smith. Live in
Kansas.
3. Christ, married Rebecca Imler
4. Sarah married Shannon Dibert.
5. Annie.
6. Grant, married Sadie Yount.
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2. Jonathan, married Mary Jane Croyle.
1. Frank, married Ella Snider.
2. Margaret, married Dave Shunk.
3. Malinda, married Henry Reighard. See
Mary Earnest line.
4. Carrie, married Humphrey Dively.
3. Mary, married Abram Hartzle. Live in Tenn.
4. Rebecca is dead.
5. Elizabeth is not married.
6. Eve is dead.
7.
Henry, married Mary Ling, daughter of
John Ling. Dead
.
55
8.
Susan is dead.
9. Catharine is dead.
Mr. William W . Dibert, of Imlertown, who has helped so much,
gave me the records of this family and his grand- father's brother, Jacob
Dibert.
5.
Eva Catharine Earnest, born June 29, 1794. Called Eve. Married Michael
Fetter
.
1.Dan, married Katy
Croyle.
2.
Elizabeth, married Zimmers.
3. John, married Sarah
Imler.
6. Elizabeth, born Mar. 15, 1797.
Perhaps died young.
7. Samuel Earnest, born Jan. 20, 1800, died
in 1877.
Married first, Elizabeth Dibert, born in 1801, died in 1833, daughter of
Frederick and Madaline Steele Dibert.
1. Catharine Earnest, married young, first to Geo.Fetter. No children. Married second to Will Earnest.
Son of Michael Earnest.
1. Harry in Kansas.
2. Sarah Earnest, married Isaac Reighard.
3. Isaac Earnest, married Catharine Wonder.
4. Maria Earnest, married Henry Sill.
1. Sarah, married John Phillips.
1.Charlie married Josephine Reiswick.
1. Dorothy, a great, great, great, great,
grand-daughter of "Indian
Eve. "
2. Elmira, married Mr. Frank Todd. Live
in Bedford, Pa. Had three children.
All dead.
3. Henry died when four years old.
56
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On one of the leaves of the record in the old Bible, is a square marked off with pen, which I find contains the record of part of Samuel Earnest's family. I wrote it just as it is, with line below.
Was Born Catherena
Earnest April 25th, 1822.
Was Born Jane Earnest May 25, 1824.
Was married Samuel Earnest to
Alizabeth Dibert, June 12th, 1821.
Sarah Earnest was born the 26th of
March 1828.
_____________________
Adam Earnest was b orn the 27th of June, 1836
It seems strange
that the first wife's children are not all here. Adam is
the oldest son of the second wife. These are all faded
except the two last and the figures in Jane's record.
With her record is the subtraction of dates. Thus
1842 - 1824 is 18.
One
would infer from this that she died at that age.
7. Samuel Earnest,
married second time to Judith Imler.
1. Adam, born June 27, 1836.
2. William, living in Friends Cove. Aged 66 years.
3. Mary, married ___ Adams. Living in Friends
Cove. Aged 59 years.
4. Lavanda, marred ___ Feight. Died
in Friends Cove. Aged 55 years.
5. Frank, living in
Friends Cove. Aged 53 years.
8. Beckie Earnest, born Aug. 11 1802, married
Michael Speece.
1. George, dead. Widow lives in Osterburg.
Had six children.
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2. Elizabeth, married Michael Sill. Went West.
Had six sons, all married, live in Illinois and
California.
3. Catharine, married Jas. Defibaugh.
Lived at St. Clairsville. Six children, all married
.
4. Mary, called Polly. Married Mr. Colebaugh. Sick in bed
for several years. Six children, all married
.
5. Eve, never married, lives with Mrs. John
Fetters.
6. Peggy, never
married.
7. Maria, died young.
8. Sarah, married Mr. Reip.
Live near St. Clairsville. Two children
.
59
9. Tillie, married David Stambaugh. Seven
children.
9. Natrina Earnest,
born Mar. 6, 1806. No further record of her.
10. Daniel
Earnest, born Jan. 10, 1809. No further record of him.
11. Polly Earnest, born Jan. 11, 1811. No further
record of her.
12. Elizabeth Earnest, born Feb.
7, 1812. Likely died young.
13. Sally Earnest, born December 15, 1814. No record.
14. George Earnest, Jr., born March 19, 1817. Norecord.
I had Miss Grauer, teacher of Language, look overthe old German record again, and she found below the
artistic writing, these
initials, in Latin: N. P. N.